The Yankees utility players, Ronald
Torreyes (0.3 WAR), Tyler Wade (-0.1 WAR) and Neil Walker (-0.1 WAR) had a
combined WAR of .1 in 2018, and while they are all serviceable as utility
players or as players off the bench, this is an area where the Yankees could use
an upgrade in 2019.

OPINION: The Yankees proved me wrong this ALDS...and I'm happy to admit it

As I watched Todd Frazier showcase some heads up base running skills by coming around to score from first base on Brett Gardner's ninth inning single it finally hit me. The Yankees were going to defeat the mighty Cleveland Indians and advance to the ALCS for the first time since 2012. The same New York Yankees who hit rock bottom after an absolutely crushing game two defeat in the same ballpark had somehow managed to string together an improbable comeback, winning three straight elimination games. As an eternal pessimist and current law student, I thought the Yankees fate was sealed once Joe Girardi had the managing blunder of a lifetime. Needless to say, I'm ecstatic to see that the Bombers have proven me wrong.

Photo Credit: J. Conrad Williams, Jr.

Heading into the series, I knew that the Yankees chances of dethroning the American League champions were slim to none. The Indians were by far the best team in the AL this season, and did not have any glaring weaknesses. Simply winning the Wild Card game and advancing to the ALDS, knowing that this core will likely be in the thick of championship contention for years to come, made the season a success in my eyes. I tried to remain cautiously optimistic. However, my brain told me not to get my hopes up. I subsequently chose my brain over my heart.

After a lifeless game one defeat, in which Sonny Gray couldn't make it out of the fourth inning, and the offense got shut down by Trevor Bauer, whatever remote optimism that remained nearly completely dissipated. Game one appeared to be a perfect exemplification of why the Indians were the superior team. Thinking elimination was imminent, I began to prepare accordingly.

Photo Credit: David Richard/USA TODAY Sports

In game two, the Yankees came out guns blazing. Gary Sanchez and Aaron Hicks each took the likely AL Cy Young Corey Kluber deep, and chased him from the game early. A later Greg Bird home run, coupled with CC Sabathia's dominance following a rough first two innings, put the Yankees up five in the sixth inning. I became increasingly frustrated when Joe Girardi pulled Sabathia, who had retired eleven straight and thrown only thrown 77 pitches, after 5.1 innings. As a constant critic of Girardi, never have I been more angry at him than in game two. Not challenging the controversial hit by pitch, which really hit the knob of Lonnie Chisenhall's bat before being caught by Sanchez, was one of the worst managerial decisions I have ever witnessed in my life. The subsequent grand slam made it burn even more. Perhaps even worse was Girardi's pathetic excuses immediately after the game. Seeing him take ownership the next day was comforting, but not nearly enough to atone for such blatant incompetence.

When the Indians won game two in a heartbreaking extra inning affair, I was almost certain the season would come to an end. Hearing Yankee Stadium boo Girardi prior to the start of game three, coupled with Aroldis Chapman liking an instagram comment which referred to the Yankees manager as an "imbecile," made it seem as if the team was on the verge of implosion.

To my complete surprise, this Yankees team had A LOT of fight left. Masahiro Tanaka came out in game three and showed us why he has a reputation for being a clutch pitcher. After shutting down the Indians for seven innings, aided greatly by an Aaron Judge catch that robbed Jose Ramirez of a two-run homer, Greg Bird got the biggest hit of the season, up until that point. His solo shot into the second deck in right field off of Andrew Miller was surreal. Chapman would later seal the victory. The Yankees were still alive.

Photo Credit: Anthony J. Causi/New York Post

In game four, Luis Severino earned redemption from his embarrassing wild card game start, in which he only lasted one third of an inning. Giving up only three runs over seven innings, Severino did his part to keep the Yankees in the game. The Yankees offense, though aided by some shoddy Indians fielding, got a jolt of life. While I was happy that the Yankees rose to the occasion at the friendly confines of Yankee Stadium, it still felt like the Indians were destined to win this series. I was sure these two games at the Stadium were the last two played in the Bronx in 2017.

Game five lived up to all the hype and much more. With nearly all reputable sports analysts picking the Indians to win, primarily due to the pitching matchup of Kluber vs. Sabathia, the Yankees fate appeared to be set. Seeing Didi Gregorius take Kluber deep in the first inning, sparked the return of some hope to my heart. Gregorius' second homer, however, made me think the Yanks had a real chance. CC Sabathia, for the first four innings, turned back the clock to the good old days. I suddenly became overly complacent, thinking the Yankees would cruise to victory.

Photo Credit: David Dermer/Associated Press

However, the bottom of the fifth was a harsh return to reality. After striking out the first batter of the inning, Sabathia gave up four straight singles. Just like that, the Indians were within one run of tying it up. Girardi, just a few days removed from the lowest point of his managerial career, made a risky move. He brought in David Robertson to face Francisco Lindor with runners on first and second. On the third pitch of the inning, Robertson induced Lindor to hit into a double play, thus mitigating the damage.

A one-run lead against these Indians is anything but comfortable. Whenever the Indians came to plate, I braced myself for the worst possible outcome. After brilliant at bats by Todd Frazier and Brett Gardner in the ninth inning, the latter of whom's ended with a two-run single, I screamed as loud as I had screamed since the Giants beat the undefeated Patriots in the 2007-2008 Super Bowl. At that moment, I knew the Yankees were on the verge of doing the improbable. Chapman would soon close the door, and send these Yankees to the ALCS.

Entering the ALCS, the Yankees will once again be underdogs against the heavily favored Houston Astros. Regardless of what happens, this season has been a success, and we all know this Yankees team will be back and scarier than ever next year. If, however, the magic remains, the Yankees can continue their miracle run. This series has reminded me just how important it is to remain positive and believe in your team. In light of adversity, this Yankees team responded in a big way. As I eagerly await the start of the ALCS on Friday night in Houston, I know that this Yankees team is capable of performing despite the odds being stacked against them. They've shown us what they can do. Let's hope game five is the catapult for an even deeper October run.

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The scene was set for the
young budding Bomber squad last fall after finishing their season a game away
from a World Series berth. They were the team that arrived a year too early,
and another deep playoff run would be the goal, but then an old friend threw a
wrench in those plans. Derek Jeter put gargantuan slugger Giancarlo Stanton on
the market, and Stanton dictated his transfer with a full no-trade clause. The
Giants and Cardinals among others threw their name into the ring, but who did
he choose? The Yankees and Dodgers, it seemed to be a battle of baseballs
powerhouses, but the Yankees had an advantage over their former neighbors,
payroll flexibility. They were able to use this into an absolute steal of the
reigning NL MVP, and the Yankees were thrust into a world series or bust year.
The season was historic, they set the season home run record without Gary
Sanchez, Didi Gregorius, Greg Bird, and Aaron Judge for most if not all of the
year, but it ended in a bust at the hands of…

The
speculation started during the regular season, even prior to his trade from the
Baltimore Orioles to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Where would Manny Machado go upon
his free agency at the end of the 2018 regular season? And, with that, which
teams would be knocking on his door? No
sooner did the Yankees’ regular season come to a close after their fated ending
in the American League Division Series, the talks of Machado coming to the
Bronx took off as though pushed by a speeding 4 Train behind Yankee Stadium. The
truth of the matter is that the rumors started even prior to Machado’s free
agency being on the horizon -- they started
at the trade deadline.

Yankee fans are left with more questions than answers following Clint Frazier’s injury riddled 2018. Frazier suffered through concussion symptoms throughout his 2018 campaign, which saw him appear in 69 games between the minors and the big leagues. Now, Yankees fans wonder what 2019 will hold for the 24 year-old.

Miguel Andujar’s 2018
arrival in the big leagues on April 1st had been much anticipated by Yankee
fans and we were rewarded with a Rookie of the Year performance by one of the
most exciting players in all of Major League Baseball.

Corey Kluber is the difference
maker and impact arm the Yankees need atop their rotation. In 2017 and
2018, Yankee fans wished ace-like status on Luis Severino, but his
inconsistencies have left him just short of owning the name. Kluber, 32,
has been the definition of consistent for the Cleveland Indians, winning 18+
games four out of the last five years and winning 20 games in 2018 for the
first time in his career. Kluber has posted an ERA below 3.50 every season
since 2014, and has struck out at least 220 hitters in the same span. Kluber
keeps getting better, and is not showing any signs of regression. Kluber is an
ace, the ace the Yankees need.

There’s
no easy way to answer this question. Or, rather, there’s no one answer. The
surrounding factors change, creating different situations and, as such,
different fits -- both from a financial and from a team standpoint. A case can
be made to bring back either of these free agents, or both of them, or…
neither. But it’s almost impossible to make a blanket answer that fits in every
possible scenario.

It
felt like a shoe-in. So much so, in fact, that I advocated
for what I thought was the inevitable all the way back in September, before the
BBWAA even announced the nominees for American League Rookie of the Year.

First acquired in a relatively
small-time, 40-man sell-off move around this time last year that sent 1B
Garrett Cooper and LHP Caleb Smith to Miami, Michael King was seen as a young
right hander with promise, but one still years away from making any significant
Major League impact.At the time, the
important part of that trade was the $250,000 international bonus pool money
Miami included, which we all thought was to be used on Shohei Ohtani.Ohtani, obviously, never ended up in the Bronx
and will not pitch at all in 2019 after undergoing offseason Tommy John
Surgery.

Flashback to July 3rd -
the Mariners had just won their eighth consecutive game, putting them 20 games
above .500 and in possession of the third-best record in baseball. Everything
was going right in Seattle, and it surely seemed as if the M’s infamous 17-year
playoff drought would finally come to an end. Just two and a half months later
on September 22nd, the Mariners were eliminated from playoff contention,
following a dreadful summer slump and the concurrent surge of the
division-rival Athletics.

I
cannot count the number of times I tweeted about the Yankees and their problem
with RISP and situational offense over the course of the 2018 season. Of
course, the Yankees won 100 games on the regular season, and that statistic is
nothing to sniff at. They also claimed the single-season home run record. And
that’s great.